Large aquariums of the type for use in containing tropical fish and having a 20 to 50 gallon capacity commonly include an undergravel filter. Aquariums must be cleaned periodically to remove sediment from the gravel in the aquarium. It is also necessary to periodically remove water from the aquarium and add fresh water. If the aquarium is relatively large and has a capacity of 20 to 50 gallons or more, cleaning of the aquarium can be a difficult and time-consuming task, and changing of the aquarium water can require removal of a substantial quantity of water. For example, it is common that when aquarium water is drained and replaced, one-third of the water in the aquarium is removed and replaced. In the case of aquariums of 50 gallons or more, this is a large quantity of water to carry by hand, and is very time-consuming.
Prior art apparatus for use in cleaning an aquarium is shown in the Hutchinson U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,672,987 and 2,956,507. These devices each comprise a conduit having one end which is inserted into the aquarium and placed close to the bottom. An opposite end supports a mesh bag or filter. A bulb-type pump is mounted between the opposite ends of the conduit and functions to permit water to be manually pumped through the conduit. The lower end of the tube is placed adjacent the bottom of the aquarium and water is pumped through the conduit drawing sediment from the gravel up through the tube and through the conduit and through the filter. The filtered water is then allowed to drain back into the aquarium.
The structures of the type shown in the Hutchinson patents have the drawback of producing insufficient flow of water to effectively clean the aquarium tank. The undergravel filters used in large aquariums tend to pull the sediment down into the gravel at the bottom of the aquarium tank. The apparatus of Hutchinson does not effectively clean the gravel nor the undergravel filter because it produces insufficient water flow.
The prior art apparatus of Hutchinson is also intended merely to provide a means for filtering the aquarium water. The water in the aquarium commonly includes not only sediment and other solid contaminants, but also includes liquid and dissolved contaminants. The liquid and dissolved contaminants should be removed from the aquarium in the same manner that solid contaminants are removed. While the Hutchinson structure strains the water and thereby removes some of the solid materials, since the water is returned to the aquarium, the liquid contaminants and dissolved solids are not removed from the aquarium water.
Attention is also directed to the Parker U.S. Pat. No. 2,741,997, issued Apr. 17, 1956; the Holland U.S. Pat. No. 2,112,290, issued Mar. 29, 1938; the Gavaza U.S. Pat. No. 1,950,172, issued Mar. 6, 1934; the Reedy et al. U.S. Pat. No. 1,930,284, issued Oct. 10, 1933 and the Scott U.S. Pat. No. 1,826,829, issued Oct. 13, 1931.